A tropical storm barreled toward Vietnam Friday, forcing 20,000 people to be evacuated, as Philippines braced for a new typhoon and swathes of India, Thailand, Pakistan and China reeled under floods after some of the wildest weather to hit Asia this summer. Prolonged monsoon flooding, typhoons and storms have wreaked untold havoc in the region, leaving more than 450 people dead or missing in several countries since late July. In the Indian state of Orissa alone the damage is estimated to be worth $726 million. After pummeling the Philippines and China this week, Typhoon Nesat was downgraded to tropical storm as it headed toward Vietnam where it was expected to make landfall later Friday with sustained wind speeds of up to 73 mph (118 kph).. Heavy rains were reported in northern and central areas, and warnings were issued for flash floods in low-lying areas and for landslides in mountainous regions. High winds whipped through the capital Hanoi's streets. The storm had flooded streets across the southern Chinese island of Hainan on Thursday, forcing some 300,000 people to flee their homes, the official Xinhua News Agency said.On Tuesday, Nesat bashed the Philippines, where it killed at least 43 people and left 30 people missing after causing the worst flooding in the capital in decades. The damage was estimated at $91 million, and preparations were already under way for Typhoon Nalgae, now headed toward the northern Philippines. It's expected to reach Category 3 strength with winds hitting up to 130 mph (210 kph), making landfall late Saturday or early Sunday. Disaster officials in Vietnam said fish and shrimp farmers had been moved to safe areas along the northern and central coasts. Some 4,000 people, mostly the elderly, women and children, were also evacuated in three coastal districts in Nam Dinh province, said disaster official Tran Xuan Ngoc. — AP The storm comes on top of seasonal flooding in Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta, where eight people were killed in four provinces this week, according to the national floods and storms control department. In addition, a woman and her grandchild were killed Thursday when their home was buried by a landslide in the northern province of Yen Bai, it said. Other parts of Asia have not been spared either. Two typhoons that hit Japan this month, leaving at least 106 people dead or missing. In Thailand, the disaster department said 188 people have been killed and three others remain missing after a series of tropical storms hit the country since late July. Nearly 2 million people have been affected by floods and mudslides, with many roads impassable. More rainfall was forecast in northern Thailand for the weekend.
